Georgia 'Personhood' Bill In Works

Two Georgia lawmakers are considering legislation similar to the "personhood" referendum rejected by voters in Mississippi earlier this month.

Sen. Barry Loudermilk, R-Cassville, and Rep. Rick Crawford, D-Cedartown, have both supported similar legislation previously declaring that life begins at fertilization and seeking to ban abortion.

Loudermilk said he is looking at re-introducing the bill with modified language omitting references to fertilization and cloning — words that proved problematic in the failed Mississippi ballot issue.

Crawford said despite being a member of the minority party in the state, he shares the conservative views of his constituents. He says the amendment is "an invitation to discussion" on the issue of abortion and being pro-life.

Mississippi's proposed law could have made some birth control illegal and deterred doctors from doing in-vitro fertilization.